LAKEWOOD, Colo. - Alyssa Brinton led the University of Colorado Colorado Springs with 17 kills and Taylor Smith finished with a career-high 15 kills as the Mountain Lions (11-8, 8-3 RMAC) fell 3-2 to Colorado Christian (13-7, 10-1 RMAC) at the CCU Event Center.  The Cougars won in 25-23, 20-25, 25-22, 11-25 and 11-15 sets against the Mountain Lions.

UCCS scored five straight points late in the first set to reach set point at 24-21, and after Colorado Christian scored two points to pull within a point, Smith finished the set with a kill for the 25-23 win and 1-0 match lead. The Cougars never trailed in the second set and the Mountain Lions never trailed in the third set as UCCS maintained its match lead at 2-1.

Colorado Christian forced a fifth set after a 7-0 run in the fourth set led to the 25-11 decision. The Mountain Lions scored four straight points early in the fifth set for a 5-2 advantage, but the Cougars answered with a four-point run and used another five-point rally led to take a 13-9 lead. Smith made a kill and UCCS earned another point off of a Colorado Christian service error, but the Cougars earned its final two points off kills for the 15-11 set result and the 3-2 match decision.

Brinton finished with 15 or more kills for the third time in the last four matches and earned her third double-double of the season with 14 digs. Smith surpassed her previous career high by three kills and Josie Russell rounded out the offensive leaders with 12 kills. Raelynn Edge finished the night with 49 assists and Natasha Habert led the defense with 18 digs.

UCCS will remain in the Denver metro area with a Saturday match at No. 19 Colorado School of Mines. The Orediggers (17-3, 11-0 RMAC) won 3-2 against MSU Denver tonight.